Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-10-08
CAVERN, FORTRESS AND SCHOOL .
The Underground Worid-ArtilIsry Pra'
tics At Fortress sMonrOe-Educating IL,
NattOn,' WARDS

The Underground Worid-ArtiIIsry Prs. .
tic. At Fortress Misunderstanding Il q
Nations Wards.
Special Correspondence Of the Republic.
After the interest and curiosity OF tour
lists in the various natural curiOsities Of this
country had been in a measure satiated. il
remained for rambling photographer and
two Virginisns named Campbell, to di :
cover, near the village Of Lursy, Virginis,
the most remarkable Of underground VOL
ders-the now famous Luray caverns. The
well known Mammoth cave. of Kentucky.
and other caverns known to travellers, in
deed. cover . greater area of ground, but
in none Of them has nature worked such
interesting and fantastic shapes. as in
those at Lursy.
The first surprise which greets the visitor
is the cosy and in every way elegant "Lu-
ray Inn," situated on the hilltop, near the
railway station, and from which the trip to
the cavsrns Is made. Some most skiilful
architect has planned not only every exte-
rior detail OF this charming hOstlery, but
hiS s0StT hAS SAkSbuCu !" tic IuOSt minute
particulars of interior decorations. Great
hospitable tirsplaces shed their glow in
every room, and every appointment unItes
the features Of Old-time comfort with mod
ern convenience.
1t was but a few years ago that the
Luray Caves were opened to the world.
Now the added facilities Of the electric
light afford opportunity for satisfactory ex-
animation Of this Underground work shop
Of nature. The purity of the atmosphere
Of the caverns, the absence of uncomfort-
able dampness. and the amplitude OF the
passageways and vaulted ceilings at once
impress the visitor. Unlike other notable
caves, there are in this no tunnels to crawl
into. nor contracted apertures to squeeze
through. You go about it's various CALLER
les with the absolute freedom and comfort
of visit to an art museum or . hall of
statuary.
BY a skillful arrangement Of the electric
lamps line reliefs OF light and shade are
secured, and at certain places great vistas
of cavsrnOus depths stretch away in effects
rivalling the glories Of the ARABIAN
NNutS. M Just StAtcu. Tic Interest IN
the Iuray caverns centers In the variety
and beauty Of its interior natural forma-
tiOns. These formations, II competent
gsologists may be credited, are the result
of percolatiOns and processes of thousands
may, some say Of millions-of years A
lady visitor was filed with awe when i'm
formed that formation which she had
careIessly broken of was the precious
product Of ages Of na. urs's haHdiwOrk.
Of course . vivid imagination is neces-
sary to ste some Of the resembIances point
ed out by the guide, but many are so real as
TO be startling. or SO beautiful as to chain
the gaze Of the sight-seer. A mention Of q
few Of the most notable and striking must
suffice. OF these, pictures afford no ad-
equate representation.
Just at the entrance hall is Washington's
column, a pure white shaft titly named.
Following comes the fish market, formed
Of variOusly cOlOred stalactites, like fish
hung up for sale. Shortly we come upon
the fallen column. evincing that much time
has elapsed since its fall, and forming one
OF the main objects upon which geOl0gists
base their amazing calculations. The ca
thedral, with its resonant organ pipes of
stalactite. and its chimes, remains a vivid
impression. The ball room with its high
vaulted roof. and beautiful white statuesque
formation, fitly called cinderella leaving
the ball, is an apartment Of such ample
proportions as to be occasionally used for
veritable balls, for which purpose 1t has
been fitted BY the addition Of q smooth con-
crete floor.
Among the other formations to be hastily
named are the urn column. the camel-a
remarkable resemblance-the wet blanket,
the frozen fountain. the bass drim-giving
out deep, drun-like sound when struck.
the sLecter-a ghOst-like formation dimly
seen in the depth Of 'PlutO's chasm," the
vegetable garden, the natural bridge, the
crystal spring. the birds'-nest, the hall of
giants, and, not least. q superb formation
the Saracen's tont-tO the writer one of the
most graceful and realistic objects in the
caverns.
To those in search Of q new experience
the caverns of Furay will be found to meet
that demand. Amid the meretricious in
human art, and the wOuld-ee ''improved'
objects in nature, to which the traveller is
constantly invited to give his attention.
these unmolested and unadorned statues,
columns and initiative forms, sculptured
by the chisel OF the ages in the underground
studies Of the earth, cannot fail to interest.
charm and instruct. Wonderful 1t Is that
they should ever have been formed; won
derful that they should never have been
discovered before; and. psrsdoxicAlly more
wonderful still, that they SHOULD ever have
been discovered at all.
SOLDIERS AT SCHOOL.
West Point is where the American officer
is taught, and Fortress Monroe is where he
goes to practice. II associations count for
anything, this place is fOrtuitOus one, be- /
in asSnriotaA 9th of
this country from its earliest period, being |
near the first place Of settlement at James |
town, and ever since point Of colonial and |
warlke interest. The mere mention Of a |
few proper names associated with this i'm |
mediate locality calls forth memories OF |
influential historical events. Captain John ,
Smith. 7. cahOntas. CORVALLIS. Yorktown,
Eighteen twelve, Mcclellan. the Monitor
and the Merrimac, the capture and incar-
ceratiOn of Jefferson Davis-all the decisive
which these names suggest took
place in and around this point.
Artillery practice is discipline of much
moment to the American officer, and here
it is carried on with all the aid of modern
ordnance and instruments OF scientific COM
petati0n. Lessons are given in heavy and
light battery, Gsttling gun, etc. at targets
On land and sea. The book lessons Of the
morning are followed by the field work of
the afternoon. and the elevation of the
pieces, time and velocity Of the balls. Is
well as accuracy and effectiveness Of aim.
are factors IN the practice. The instruc-
lion and experiments are Of interest to the
civilian n well as to the mar
tally inclined witness.
The salubrity of this place during the
fall and winter Is well known. At these
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